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Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample
Dissertation (MSc (Anatomy))--University of Pretoria, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613609344892928 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Liebenberg, Leandi |
| author_browse | Liebenberg, Leandi |
| author_facet | Liebenberg, Leandi |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Dissertation (MSc (Anatomy))--University of Pretoria, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/89231 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:52.072Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/89231 Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample Liebenberg, Leandi mikshah16@gmail.com Theye, E.G. Ridel, Alison F. Harripershad, Miksha UCTD Fluctuating asymmetry Biological Anthropology Bone Pathology Micro-XCT Geometric morphometrics Dissertation (MSc (Anatomy))--University of Pretoria, 2022. Biological anthropologists have shown great interest in understanding health and disease and its correlation to skeletal asymmetry. Fluctuating asymmetry, which is defined as the random deviation from perfect symmetry resulting in inequality in size or shape of bilateral traits, is often used to understand this correlation. Literature has shown that fluctuating asymmetry results from developmental instabilities and could be indicative of developmental stressors and an individual’s quality of life. Skeletal asymmetry and its correlation to different developmental stressors provide invaluable information regarding the interpretation of skeletal variation often observed among individuals. The understanding of human skeletal variation has many applications, ranging from forensic skeletal identification to facial surgery. While traditional methods for studying facial and dental asymmetry have been used in the past, the methods can be methodologically challenging, and not always practical in clinical settings. As such, virtual biological anthropology has become an increasingly popular alternative. Among the imaging modalities, micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (micro-XCT) is often considered as the gold standard, because of its non-invasive and non-destructive properties, as well as its remarkably high resolution and its consistency compared to other micro-XCT systems. Micro-XCT imaging has thus proven to be extremely useful for better evaluation of facial structures, with detailed images that can assist in identifying and quantifying facial asymmetry, especially when employed in conjunction with geometric morphometrics. Therefore, this study aimed to assess facial asymmetry in a South African population using micro-XCT and further explore the link between asymmetry and developmental stress. One hundred and fifteen individuals (59 black South Africans and 56 white South Africans, with 57 females and 58 males) and their associated micro-XCT scans, sourced from the Pretoria Bone Collection (University of Pretoria) were analysed to evaluate facial asymmetry. Anatomical landmarks were employed to take a series of cranial measurements and collect 3D coordinate data for geometric morphometric analysis. The measurements and extraction of 3D coordinate data were performed on 3D models virtually extracted from micro-XCT scans of crania of the same individual. Once collected, fluctuating asymmetry indices were calculated. The entire skeleton of the individuals was assessed for pathological lesions linked to nutritional disease and to assess the overall link to developmental stress of the individuals. The location and number of lesions was recorded for each individual. Statistical analyses were employed to assess intra- and inter-observer reliability for landmarks, measurements, and pathology analysis; to examine any significant differences between the left and right distances and shapes for measurements and geometric morphometric analysis, respectively; and finally, to evaluate the correlation between the presence of pathological lesions and the degree of asymmetry expressed in an individual. This study showed that the orbits, nasion and temporal regions expressed a high magnitude of asymmetry, particularly in black South African females. However, no link was found between asymmetry and signs of developmental stress. Thus, more research can be done to understand how, and when developmental stressors may influence skeletal asymmetry. Anatomy MSc (Anatomy) Unrestricted 2023-02-07T11:55:34Z 2023-02-07T11:55:34Z 2023 2022 Dissertation * A2023 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89231 10.25403/UPresearchdata.22012796 en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Fluctuating asymmetry Biological Anthropology Bone Pathology Micro-XCT Geometric morphometrics Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample |
| title | Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample |
| title_full | Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample |
| title_fullStr | Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample |
| title_short | Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample |
| title_sort | exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a south african sample |
| topic | UCTD Fluctuating asymmetry Biological Anthropology Bone Pathology Micro-XCT Geometric morphometrics |
| url | https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89231 |